On Saturday the Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrates its 73rd anniversary as serving personnel get together for their traditional ‘rum punch’ across the country from Car Nicobar in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to Thoise in Ladakh and Nalia in Gujarat to Mohanbari, Dibrugarh in Assam. Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi, the Chief of Air Staff indeed touched the skies with glory when he recently earned his sky diver’s ‘wings’ after completing the mandatory five jumps from a Mi 17 helicopter at the Air Force Station, Hindon in Ghaziabad near New Delhi.
The IAF has acquired various aerial platforms like Illyushin 78 inflight refuelling aircraft and plans to procure 126 multi-role combat aircraft, besides the sophisticated AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) aircraft. While all these acquistions are aimed to manage external security requirements against Pakistan or China, the IAF also seeks to focus inwards from the latest requirement of helicopters.
In a sense the IAF now appears to be in the process of adapting to the emerging security environment characterised by low intensity conflict operations, proxy war, terrorism and insurgency. These trends are evident especially in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeastern region, besides the nine Naxalite affected states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Orissa, Karnataka, Jharkhand and West Bengal — within the heartland of the country. Till now only the state police forces have attempted to tackle the threat with varying degrees of success and failure. Today, the intensification of insurgency within the country and the potential for conventional war characterised clearly defined geographic demarcations receding day-by-day, the air force too has to contribute to the counter-insurgency effort along with the army, the paramilitary forces and state police forces. This trend is evident from the IAF’s demand for 80 multi-role medium lift helicopters in the 10-12 tonne class. These helicopters are likely to be used in an armed role, possibly to fight the many insurgencies in the country. The IAF first used ‘fixed’ wing ‘Ouragon’ or ‘Toofani’ fighter aircraft way back in the late 1960s at Mizoram to strafe insurgent positions. Therefore, the IAF, in addition to its military role, has the potential to assume a constabulary role in counter-insurgency operations.
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Given the enormity of Left-wing extremism the police alone may not suffice to cope with the problem. Considering the frequency of news reports about policemen who are blown up by landmines in their hunt for Naxalites speaks volumes about the lack of their operational effectiveness. The characteristics of air power like swift employment, high mobility and tactical surprise to combat insurgency makes the IAF relevant for internal security duties. Besides, the inaccessibility of Naxalites operating in thick jungles can also be countered through the use of airpower with helicopters enabling police personnel to slither down ropes and close in on their tricky targets. Alternatively attack helicopters and armed helicopters equipped with electronic counter measures can be effectively used to strike insurgent targets on the ground from the skies.
On a sadder note, the December 26, the tsunami proved a major setback for the IAF when its 37 Wing Headquarters at Car Nicobar was wiped out and several personnel with their families died in the natural calamity. The episode was marked by both bravery and tragedy for the IAF personnel. The tsunami also provided the IAF an opportunity to fly its helicopters into Sri Lanka for relief work — the first time after the Indian Peace Keeping Force withdrew from the island nation. Next was the death of Squadron Leader Chaitanya soon after he successfully scaled the Mount Everest on 30 May on the Himalayan heights. In early 2005, Air Cmde ROJ Assey flew a Cheetah helicopter from the AF base Udhampur and successfully rescued a Candian diplomat stranded on the snowy heights.
More recently, the IAF helicopters supported relief operations in Karnataka, Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh when these parts of these states were devasted by floods. Squadron Leader G S Bhullar (112 Helicopter Unit of Air Force Station Yelahanka) ferried 103 people in a day to safety at Belgaum. The IAF that therefore remains active during wars and natural calamities now has the potential to contribute to counter-insurgency operations and prove to be a ‘force multiplier’ for the security forces.
Saturday, October 8, 2005
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